Folding rocking-chair.



- Patented Apr. 8, I902. W. T. SEERUP. FOLDING ROCKING CHAIR.

(Applicatiox; filed Aug. 21, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 697,025. Patented Apr. 8, I902.

W. T. SEERUP.

FOLDING ROCKING CHAIR.

(Application filed Aug. 21, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

5]" ventoz witnesses NTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM T. SEERUP, OF POCAHONTAS, ARKANSAS.

FOLDING ROCKING-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 697,025, dated April 8, 1902.

I Application filed August 21, 1901. Serial No. 72,852. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM T. SEERUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pocahontas, in the county of Randolph and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Rocking- Ohairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in folding rockingchairs; and the objects of the invention are to provide a chair of this character which shall be simple in construction, strong, inexpensive, and easy to fold up or unfold, as required, and which when in its folded condition will occupy comparatively little space for convenient transportation or storage.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rockingchair embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the chair when folded up. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; and Fig. i is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale, showing the adjustable hinge connection between the back and the legs.

Referring now to the drawings, in which corresponding reference-letters denote like parts in the several views, A and B indicate the front and back legs, which cross each other about midway between theirends and are pivotally connected together at the point of crossing by a rod or round a, extending at its ends through openings in the legs. As shown, the corresponding opposite legs are connected and braced by rounds at and b and cross-bars a a and Z), the bars a and b forming also supports for the attachment of a seat 0, which maybe made of any suitable flexible material. The legs are supported on rockers D D, each composed of two sections (Z d, arranged side by side and pivoted together near their inner ends by a pin 6 and connected near their outer ends to the lower ends of the legs by pivot-pins f f. Suitable stops are employed to maintain the rockersections in proper relative position when the chair is in its unfolded condition. Thus, as

shown, each section d is provided with a laterally-extendingstop-pin g and an edge notch it, so arranged that when the sections are in the position indicated in Fig. 1 the pin on one section enters the notch of the other section, thereby securing the sections in line against independent upward movement and movement inwardly, while at the same time permitting them to be readily moved out of line in the opposite direction and folded outwardly, as required in folding the chair.

E E are arms, preferably upwardly arched and connected at their forward ends by pivotpins 0; t' to the upper ends of the legs B B, while at their rear ends they extend between the cross-bars a a of the legs A A. As preferred, these arms are curved in the direction of their length and terminate at the rear in branches j j, the corresponding opposite branches being connected by rounds 7c 76. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and at the left, Fig. 3, the branches fit snugly between the cross-barsa a and the upper round engages stop-pins Z Z, which extend downward from the bar a and tend to limit the movement of the arms in one direction, as will be understood.

F is a back consisting, as usual, of side bars on m and cross-pieces n 'n firmly secured together. This back has a slidable hinge connection atits lower end with the upper ends of the legs A A, and means are employed to lock the back in its upright position substantially in line with said legs or to permit it to swing backward in the act of folding the chair. Thus these logs are provided with slots 0 0, into which enter bolts 19 19, extending laterally from the side bars or m, and nuts q q, screwing onto the bolts, serve to secure the parts loosely together, guard-plates r r, attached to the legs, forming bearings for the nuts.

Plates 8 s, secured to the outer faces of the legs A, carry pins 3 8, adapted to engage the adjacent edges of the arms at m of the back, while similar plates 15 25, attached to the inner faces of the arms, are provided with pins t t in position to enter behind upwardly-extending arms a u, formed in one piece withmetal strap at u, fastened to the legs, the strap preferably extending around the upper ends of the legs to strengthen them and protect them against wear. It will thus be seen that when the back is upright and so adjusted that the bolts 19 p occupy the lower ends of the slots 0 0 the pins 3 6 look the back against forward or backward movement, while when the back is raised sufficiently to disengage the pins it may be freely swung on the bolts 19 p, as desired.

To fold up the chair, as shown in Fig. 2, the back F is preferably first raised to unlock it in the manner already indicated, when the rocker-sections cl d are swung downward out of line and the legs drawn together at their upper ends, after which the back is swung backward over the upper ends of the legs B B and folded down to a position substantially parallel with the legs AA, the arms E E at the same time moving backward and downward between the cross-bars a? 61 To unfold the chair ready for use, the operation is reversed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that myimproved chair may be easily and quickly folded up into compact form, or be readily unfolded for use, and that it is composed of comparatively few parts, which are not liable to be broken or get out of order.

Without limiting myself to the exact con struction shown and described, I claim- 1. In afolding chair, the combination with folding legs pivoted to each other, of outwardly-folding sectional supports for the legs, and means carried by the supports for maintaining the parts of the same in proper relative position when the chair is unfolded, substantially as described.

2. In a folding chair, the combination with folding legs pivoted to each other, of outwardly-folding sectional rockers connected to the legs, and means carried by the rockers for maintaining the parts of the same in proper relative position when the chair is unfolded, substantially as described.

3. In a folding chair, the combination with legs pivoted to each other, of outwardly-folding sectional rockers supporting the legs, and means carried by the rockers for maintaining the parts of the same in proper relative position when the chair is unfolded, substantially as described.

4. In a folding chair, the combination with pivotally-connected legs, of outwardly-folding sectional rockers connected thereto, and means carried by the rockers for securing the sections against independent movement, sub stantially as described.

5. In a folding chair, the combination with pivotally-connected legs, of outwardly-folding rockers composed of pivoted sections connected to the legs, and means carried by said sections for securing the same against independent movement, substantially as described.

6. In a folding chair, the combination with,

pivotally-connected legs, of outwardly-folding rockers composed of sections pivoted to each other and to the legs, and means carried by said sections for securing the same against independent movement,substantially as described.

7. In a folding chair, the combination with pivotally-connected legs, of outwardly-folding rockers composed of sections pivoted to each other and to the legs, and means carried by the sections for preventing the movement of the same in an inward direction, substantially as described.

8. In a folding chair, the combination with pivotally-connected legs,of rockers connected thereto each composed of sections pivotally connected near their inner ends and stops carried by said sections for limiting the movement of the same in an inward direction, substantially as described.

9., In a folding chair, the combination with pivoted folding legs, of rockers composed of sections pivoted to each other and to the legs, a back connected to the legs, and means for locking the back in an upright position, substantially as described.

10. In a folding chair, the combination with pivotally-connected legs, of rockers secured thereto composed of sections pivotally connected near their inner ends, and a stop-pin on each section adapted to enter a notch in another section, to limit the inward movement only of the sections, substantially as set forth.

11. In a folding chair, the combination of the front and back legs pivoted together between their ends, the rockers secured to the legs and each composed of two sections pivotally connected near their inner ends, a back hinged to the upper ends of the front legs, and means for locking the back in an upright position, substantially as described.

12. In a folding chair, the combination of the pivoted legs, the rockers therefor each composed of two sections pivoted together near their inner ends, and a stop-pin on each section adapted to enter a notch in the other section to limit the inward movement only of the sections, substantially as described.

13. In a folding chair, the combination of the front and back legs pivoted together, the sectional rockers, the arms pivoted to the upper ends of the back legs, the back loosely connected to the upper ends of the front legs, and means for locking the back in an upright position, substantially as described.

14. In a folding chair, the combination with the front and rear legs pivoted together, of a back having a slidable hinge connection with the upper ends of the front legs, pins t 25 carried by said arms, and arms a u on said front legs, adapted to be engaged by said pins, substantially as described.

15. In a folding chair, the combination with pivoted folding front and back legs, of a back connected to the front legs and means for locking the back in an upright position, arms connected at one end to the back legs and means on the front legs for limiting the movement of the arms, substantially as set forth.

16. In a folding chair, the combination of crossed front and back legs pivotally connected to each other, rounds between the parts of the legs, cross-bars also between the parts of the legs forming supports for a seat, arms connected to the back legs, another crossbar, and means on said cross-bar for limiting the movement of the arms, substantially as described.

17 In a folding chair, the combination with pivoted folding front and back legs, of sectional rockers secured thereto, a back connected to the front legs, and means for locking the back in an upright position, arms connected at one end to the back legs, and

WILLIAM T. SEERUI Witnesses:

J 0s. 0. SULLIVAN, PAUL E. SEJOURNANT. 

